Interlocking filing case



Oct. 30, 19 1 H. w. REGENHARDT 2,573,602

INTERLQCKING FILING CASE Filed Oct. 15, 1946 V 3 Sheets-Sheet l IN V EN TOR. HANS W PFGENHAEDT A TTOPNEYS Oct. 30, 1951 H. w. REGENHARDT 2,573,602

INTERLOCKING FILING CASE Filed Oct. 15, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR. HA N5 l V- FEEGE/VH/ PDT A TTOP/VEYS 195] H. w. REGENHARDT 3,

INTERLOCKING FILING CASE Filed Oct. 15, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet s IIHHIHI [N VEN TOR. HA N5 ?EEGENHAEDT A TTOiF/VEYS Patented Oct. 30, 1951 INTERL'OCKING FILING CASE 'Hans W.- Regen-hardt; Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Record Files, 21:10., Woo'ster, '0hio,,a corporation of Ohio- Applicationctober '15, 1946,;SerialNo. 703,293

.13 Claims; (01312 4111) This invention relates to filing cabinets and the like-,-and-more particularly to individual filingdrawers, cases, compartments orthe like pro vided'with means whereby a plurality of such units can be'interlocked securely to form a-staok;

A general-object 'of'the present invention is the provision of individual filing cases, 1 drawers; compartmentsor the like-provided with means where'- by two or-more suchunits can be-locked securely together without requiring any nuts, bolts,-keys or other separately-formed locking -"members; Another object is the provision'of interlocking filing units 'in-which adjacent units are securely locked against longitudinal" and vertic a1 displacement with respect to -each other. Another =ob- J'ect istheprovision-of such units whichcan be manufactured "atrelatively low cost. A fur-the'r object is the provision'of such units which can be readily interlocke'd to form a secure andstable stack'andwhich canalso be disassembled readily; Anotherobject is the provision of-such units in which the interlocking parts are formed integrally with the shells-of the units, requiring no-additional-materiaL- Further objects and advantages-of:myzinvention will become :apparent from th'e following description of a preferred 'form thereof, reference beingmade to the accompanyingldrawings .in which: Figure 1 is a perspective vview withlpa-rts broken: away showing two'of my units, assembled:

together; .Figure .2 is a: perspective view of/oneof the'units ofFigurell; .Figure 3 is a plan- View of the'bottomofone :of my units; Figure' lis asection: taken along the line 4--4,of FigureB; Fig-' ure 5 isvla plan'view of the top of one fimyunits showing-the partswhich are adapted to inter-v lock withrthexparts shown-in Figure;4;;Eigure 6 isalsecti'on taken along theline B 6 of Figureb-y disposed adjacent the front and rear portions ofthe units andinclude oppositelyfacing inter-.- locking parts arranged so thatwhen'two-units are.

assembled together they cannot be;moved longie tudinally with-respect to each-other in either direction, nor can either end of the upper unit: be:displacedwertically with respect :to' the lower unit. This 1 result is prefeIabJyaccomplished:

2 .7 by oppositely facing interlocking recesses and tongues which are arranged so that the tongue adjacent the rear, for example, of oneunitmay be engaged within "a recess adjacent the rear of another unit with the longitudinal axes of the units angularly displaced,--and then-the units may be interlocked by rotating one unit-with respect'totheother about the pivot established by the-interengaging-tongue and-recess to bring the longitudinal axes of the units into substantial alignment and thereby bring--the interlocking parts adjacent-the front ends-of the units into locking engagement with each other.- In other words; the locking engagement at oneend of the units is made lay-relative movement between the units-in a generally'longitudinal direction, and the locking engagement atthe other endis made by lateral movement, by swinging one unit with respect-to the-other to bring their axes into substantial alignment.

-:As shown particularly in Figures 1-and"2 each unit madeaccording to nay-invention preferably comprises a steel-shell having-atop wall [0; side walls l and a bottom wall l2. 1 The shell is preferablyreinforced by a front steelreinforcement 13 and the back of the shell is closed by a fianged member It. The fianges'l-Ei (see Figures) of the back l4 maybe secured to the shell as by spot -weldirig,-and-the reinforcement I3 may be secured'in'a similar manner. A drawer 11; which maybe of conventional constructiom'is arranged to fit within the shell,the drawer sliding on-the reinforcement l3and-drawer stops-l8; thedrawer stops- 18 and-theback l of the drawerfunc-tion to prevent accidental removal of the drawer from the shell. Obviously, other drawer or-comp'artment arrangements-may be employed without ef-- fecting the interlocking of the units.

In=order ato-interlock the unitsinto -a secure and stablestack such as shown in-Figure 1, each shell is provided with interlocking parts'on both the 'top and bottom thereof. Each top- Ill-hasa -raised: portion 2 i :near-the rear thereof formed by displacing some of the metal of the shell upwardly as shown, thereby providing a forwardly faeingrecess 23. Nearthe front of each-shell thereis a rearwardly facing locking memberiz,

the member 22 projecting a slight distancea-bove the plane'-of"the'-top=l0. The-bottom IQ-of each shell is provided with parts adapted-' to interfit with the parts -2l and 22-;of an adjacent shell;

Theseqoarts comprise a rearwardly-facingtongue- 25 at the rear -thereof and are'cess =2 Wand-for wardly-facing tongue-21 a't-the front end thereofq Thes'e parts may be 'i-nterengaged with the parts the other is impossible, and in which both ends of the upper unit are locked againstvertical,

movement with respect to the lower unit, these desirable results being accomplished without requiring any separately formed locking members, keys, nuts, bolts or the like.

The construction of the interlocking parts 4 tion 4| having a smaller depression 42 therein. The portion 26, which extends on either side of the tongue 21, receives the tongue 22 of the top of a lower shell when the parts are assembled with the interlocking parts at the rear or the shells in engagement with each other but with the axes of the shells angularly displaced as shown in broken lines in Figure 7. Then, when the upper shell is rotated with respect to the lower shell about the pivot established by the inte'rengagement of the interlocking parts 2| and 25, the parts take the position shown in full lines in Figure 7 and in Figure 8. There it will be and the interlocking engagement between two adjacent units are shown in Figures 3 to'8 'of the drawings. Considering first the interlock at the rear of the shells, as shown in Figures 5 and 6- a slot 29 is cut in the top I0 and the metal of the top in back of the slot is displaced unwardly to provide the raised portion 2|, leaving the opening 23. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the tongue is provided by cutting a slot 3| in the metal of the bottom I2 and displacing the 'metal in back of the slot upwardly to form a bulged portion 32, thereby providin clearance for the raised portion 2| when the units are assembled; As

shown in Figures 7' and 8, these parts may be assembled b disposing the upper unit on the lower unit with the raised portion 32 over the raised portion 2|, and then sliding the tongue 25 longitudinally into the opening 23 so that it is disposed beneath the raised portion 2|. When so assembled, the interengagement between the tongue 25 and the underside of the portion 2| prevents the upper unit from being raised with respect to thelower unit while the engagement of the shoulders 34 adjacent the tongue 25 with the edge portions 35 of the raised portion 2| prevents movement of the upper unit rearwardly with respect to the lower unit. However, one unit may be swung angularly with respect to the other about the pivot established by the interengagement of the parts 2| and 25. Thus, these parts may be initially engaged with the axes of the two units angularly displaced and then one unit may be swung into alignment with the other to engage the locking members near the front of the units, as described below.

Again referring to Figures 5 and 6, the locking member 22 adjacent the front end of the top of the lower shell is struck upwardly from the top H) and is provided with a central groove 31 which terminates just short of the free edge of the member; the metal of the top is slit as at 38 topermit displacement of the member 22 from the plane of the top and to provide openings to receive the tongue 21 of the lower unit. It will be noted that the slit 38 extends toward the front of the cabinet on both sides of the lockin member 22 as as at 39 which, as will appear below, permits interlocking of two units to take place by lateral movement of the forward part of one section with respect to the forward part of the other unit.

To receive the locking member 22 of a lower shell, the bottom I2 (see Figures 3 and 4) of each shell is provided with the recessed portion 26, the metal of the bottom being slit as at 4|l leaving the forwardly projecting tongue 21 disposedfil br' stantially in the plane of the bottom. The

tongue 21 is provided with a central raised porseen that the rearwardly projecting locking member 22 of the top ID of the lower shell is disposed over the projecting tongue 21 of the bottom |2 of the upper shell with the bottom of the grove 31 engaging within and making a snap fit with the groove 42 in the raised portion 4| of the tongue 21.

When the parts are so assembled, the disposition of the tongue 21 beneath the locking member 22 prevents relative vertical movement of the parts. The snap fit between the bottom of the groove 31 and the top of the groove 42 prevents accidental lateral displacement of the parts with respect to each other while permitting ready detachment when desired. The engagement of the nd portion 44 of the tongue22 with the sloping shoulder 45 at the end of the groove 42 prevents relative movement of the upper section in a forwardly direction with respect to the lower section. Inasmuch as the locking parts at the rear of the filing cabinet prevent rearward movement of the uppersection with respect to the lower section, it will be seen that the assembled units are securely locked against longitudinal movement in either direction and against vertical movement at either end of the assembly. Also, the parts are firmly held against accidental lateral displacement although the sections may be readily dis-assembled when desired. All this is accomplished without requiring any additional separately formed parts and without requiring any movable parts or additional metal in the shells. All of the interlocking parts are fixed with respect to the shell and hence may be formed rapidly and economically from the metal of the tops and bottoms of the shells by simple stamping operations, the interlocking parts being integral with the shells themselves. While I prefer to arrange the interlocking parts as shown with the pivotal interlock at the rear of the units, the arrangement may be reversed if desired and the units arranged with interlocking parts 2| and 25 near the front of the units and the parts 22 and 21 at the rear.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various changes and modifications may be made in my invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Accordingly, it is to be understood that my patent is not limited to the preferred form of the invention described herein or in any manner other than by the appended claims. 7. r

I claim:

1. A pair of filing units or the like'adapted tobe locked together in superposed relationship, the top wall of the lower unit and the bottom wall of the upper unit having interengaging parts near one end thereof adapted to prevent that end. of the upper unit from being lifted from the'lower unit and to prevent the upper unitfrom. being; moved in one direction with respect to, the ,lower. unit, and said units having jinterengagingparts adjacent .theothenend thereof..one of 'said parts amazon carried by the topwall of:thedowerunit havin open 1 sides and having a portion thereof 'spaced above the plane of said top wallp andoverlying the other of said parts carried by -the bottom wall of the upper unit, said parts being engageable by lateral -movement of the :adjacent :por: tionof one unit with respect to the other, said other of said parts occupying the: space-between said one part and the plane of said top wall whereby to prevent the adjacent end of -the upper unit from being lifted from thedowerunit and to prevent the upper unit from being moved in the opposite'direction with respect to the lower unit.

2.A pair of filingunits or the-like adapted to be locked together in superposedrelationship, the top wall of the lowerunithaving'a forwardly facing recess and the bottom'walroftheupper unit having a rearwardly exten'ding' tonguemear the rear thereof adapted -to engage within-said recess to prevent'the rear of the upper unit from being lifted from the lower unit and to prevent the upper unit from being movedrearwardlywith respect to the lower unit, and'said units'having interengaging par-ts adjacent the front thereof, oneof said parts-carried by the top wal1=ofthe lower unit having open sides and having a portion thereof spacedabove-the'plane of said top wall and overlyingthe other of said par-ts carried by the bottomwall of the upper unit, said parts being engageable by lateral movement of the front portion of one unit with respect to the other, said other of said parts occupying the space between said one part and the plane-of said top wall whereby to prevent the front of the upper unit from being lifted from-the lower unit and to prevent the upper unit from being moved forwardly with respect to the lower unit.

3-. A pair of filing units or-the likeadapted to be locked togetherwith adjacent walls of the units in face-to-face relationship, one wall-ofoneunit having a forwardlyfacing recess and the adjacent wall of theother unit having a rearwardly extending tongue near one end thereof adapted to engage within said recess to prevent'the units from being moved apart bodily and toprevent one unit from being moved in one direction with respect to the other unit, and said walls having interengaging parts adjacent the other ends of said units, one of said partscarried by thetop wall of the lower unit extending rearwardly therefrom and having open sides'and'having a portion thereof spaced above the plane of said top wall and overlying the other of said parts carried by the bottom wall of the upper unit, said parts being engageable by lateral movement of the adjacent portion of one unit with respect to the other, said other of said parts extending forwardly from the bottom wall of the upper unit and occupying the space between said one part and the plane of said top wall whereby to prevent the units from being moved apart bodily and to prevent the one unit from being moved in the opposite direction with respect to the other unit.

4. A pair of filing units or the like adapted to be locked together with adjacent walls of the units in face-to-face relationship, one wall of one unit having a forwardly facing recess and the adjacent wall of the other unit having a rearwardly extending tongue near one end thereof adapted to engage within said recess to prevent one unit from being moved in one direction with respect to the other unit, and said walls having interengaging parts adjacent the other ends of said units, one of said parts carried by the top wall of 'the lower unit extending:rearwardly therefrom and having open :sidesand having a portion thereof spaced above :the plane of said top wall and overlying theother of said parts carried by the bottom wall of the upper unit, said partsbeingengageable by lateral movemerit-of the adjacent portion'of one unit with respect to the other,said other of said parts :extendingforwardly from the bottom wall of the upper .unit and occupying the space between said one part and the plane of said top Wall whereby to prevent the one unit from. beingmoved'in the opposite direction with respect to the otherunit.

-5. A pair 'offili'ngunits or the like adapted' to be locked 'together in superposed relationship, the' top'wall of the lower unit having an upwardly raised portion openingforwardly and the bottom wallof the upper unit having a rearwa'rdly extending-tongue near the rear thereofadaptedto engage within said raised portion to prevent the rear of the upper unit frombeing lifted from the lower unit and to prevent the upper unit from being moved rearwardly with respect to the lower unit, the top Wall of the lower unit having a raised rearwardly facing locking member adjacent the front thereof and the bottom wall of the upper unit having a forwardly facing tongue engageable with said lockingmember by lateral movementof the front portion of one unit with respect to the other, the engagement of s'aid'parts being adapted to prevent the front of the upper unit from being lifted from the lower unit and to prevent the upper unit from being moved forwardly with respect to the lower unit.

6. The combination defined in c1aim5wherein' thetop and bottom walls of the units-are formed of sheet metal and wherein the interengaging parts are integral with said walls.

Y 7. A pair of filing units or the like adapted to belocked together'in superposed relation each having a top wall and a bottom wall, the top wall of the lower unit and the bottom wall of the upper unit having overlapping longitudinally abutting interengaging parts near the rear there-' of adapted to prevent the rear of the upper unit from being lifted from the lower unit and'to'pre vent the upper unit from being moved rearwardly with respect to the lower unit, one of saidwalls havinga raised rearwardly facing locking member adjacentthe front thereof and the other 'of said walls having a forwardly facing tongue in-c tegral 'therewith, said locking member overlapping and longitudinally abutting said tongue whereby to prevent the front of the upper unit from being moved forwardly with respect to the lower unit, and said forwardly facing tongue being laterally engageable with said locking member by lateral movement of the front portion of one unit with respect to the other.

8. The combination of claim 7 in which said one of said walls is the top wall of the lower unit, and said other of said walls is the bottom wall of the upper unit.

9. A pair of filing units or the like adapted to be locked together in superposed relationship, the top wall of the lower unit and the bottom wall of the upper unit having interengaging parts near the rear thereof adapted to prevent the rear of the upper unit from being lifted from the lower unit and to prevent the upper unit from being moved rearwardly with respect to the lower unit, the top wall of the lower unit having a raised rearwardly facing locking member adjacent the front thereof and the bottom wall of the upper unit having a forwardly facing tongue engageaa'zanoa able withl'said lockingmember by lateral move ment of'the front portion of one unitwithrespect to the other, the engagement of said parts. being, adapted to prevent the front of the'upper unit from being lifted from the lower unit and to prevent the upper unit from, being moved forwardly with respect to the lower unit, said tongue and locking member having interengaging grooves extending longitudinally of the units adapted to prevent accidental lateral displacement thereof. Y

10. A pair of filing units or the like adapted to be locked together in superposed relationship, the top wall of the lower unit and the bottom wall of the upper unit having interengaging parts near the rear thereof adapted to prevent the rear of the upper unit from being lifted from the lower unit and to prevent the upper unit from being moved rearwardly with respect to the lower unit, the top wall of the. lower unit having a raised rearwardly facing locking member adjacent-the front thereof and the bottom wall of the upper unit having a forwardly facing tongue engageable with said locking member by lateral movement of the front portion of one unit with respect to the other, the engagement of said parts being adapted to prevent the front of the upper unit from being lifted from the lower unit and to prevent the upper unit from being moved forwardly with respect to the lower unit, said tongue and locking member having interengaging grooves extending longitudinally of the units adapted to prevent accidental lateral displacement thereof, the bottom wall of the upper unit being recessed on either side of said tongue to receive said locking member to permit the upper unit to be disposed on the lower unit with their adjacent walls in contact with said locking member received in the recessed portion of the bottom wall and then to be moved laterally with respect to the lower unit to bring said tongue into engagement with said locking member. 7

11. Means for interlocking a pair of filing cabinets or the like, comprising first means fixed adjacent one end of the top wall of one unit and second means fixed adjacent the same end of the bottom wall of another unit, said first means overlapping said second means, said first and second means disposed to longitudinally abut and engage each other to prevent relative longitudi-' nal movement of the units in one direction, and

laterally engageable overlapping longitudinally abutting interlocking means fixed adjacent the other ends of the units adapted when interlocked to prevent relative, longitudinal movement of the units in the opposite direction and engageable by relative rotational movement between the units substantially about the pivot established by engagement of said'first andsecond means.

12. The interlocking means of claim 11 in which said one end is the rear end of said units and said other ends are the front ends of the units. 7

13. A pair of filing units disposed in stacked relation each having a top wall and a bottom wall, the top wall of the lower unitand the bottom wall of the upper unit each having interengaging parts near the rear and near the front thereof, said rear parts comprising a slot in one of said walls, and an upwardly raised forwardly projecting rear locking member extending over said slot and having shoulders, a tongue struck from the other of said walls and having shoulders and extending rearwardly under said rear locking member whereby to prevent relative vertical movement between said filing units, said shoulders of said rear tongue and said rear locking member engaging to resist rearward movement of said upper unit relative to said lower unit, said front parts comprising a slot in said one of said walls, an upwardly raised rearwardly projecting looking member integral with said one of said walls and extending over said slot and having an end portion, a tongue struck from said other of said walls and having shoulders and extending forwardly under said front locking member whereby to resist relative vertical movement between said upper and lower filing units, said shoulders of said front tongue engaging the end portion of said front locking member to resist rearwardmovement of said upper unit relative to said lower unit, and laterally engageable locking means carried by said front locking member and said front tongue.

VHANS W. REGENHARDT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Regenhardt Oct. 9, 1945 

